A/N : I am reuploading this chapter because it was in the wrong volume, but don't worry, you will have a new chapter today.
As The Aegis propelled itself towards Tatsumi, aiming to strike him with its sword, it found its path blocked by Tatsumi's sturdy lance, creating a tense clash of metal against metal.
- TING !!
However, in a surprising maneuver, Rick decided to abandon his weapon, letting it fall to the ground with a metallic thud.
Instead, he swiftly positioned his shield as a protective barrier and launched himself at Tatsumi with a powerful and unexpected shield tackle.
It was a bold move, one that took Tatsumi completely off guard.
Caught off guard, Tatsumi had no time to react or counter the tackle. The full force of Rick maneuver hit him , sending him sprawling to the ground.
In the process, The Jormungandr lost his grip on his lance, which clattered to the ground beside him, leaving him disarmed and vulnerable.
"Sh*t" Tatsumi muttered, his heart pounding in his chest. He needed to regain control of the situation, but how?
To his surprise, the Aegis was already poised for the next round, its sword back in hand, and it was waiting for him to stand up.
"Mr. White, shall we continue our little dance?" Rick taunted, wearing a smug grin as his Aegis stood ready for the next round.
Tatsumi, with a determined look in his eye, quickly regained his footing. The Jormungandr reached down and grasping his fallen lance from the ground, reaffirming his grip on it.
Facing Rick's Aegis, Tatsumi couldn't suppress his grin, thinking, (So this is S.A.M.S combat... SO FUN!!!) His adrenaline was pumping, and he felt a rush of exhilaration coursing through him.
Under usual circumstances, Tatsumi was well aware that he would have been defeated by the enemy long ago.
Yet, it seemed that this opponent wanted to toy with his prey. Tatsumi understood his tactic, he also saw it as an opportunity for training and improvement.
In moments like this , there would always be someone stronger than you. However, in such situations, the key was not to give up but to seize the opportunity for improvement, much like when he was a child...
Tatsumi spoke through the speaker, his voice laced with excitement. "Let's continue the dance!" he exclaimed.
"That's what I want to hear" Rick responded, waiting for Tatsumi to make the first move.
Seeing that Rick was ready for him, Tatsumi couldn't keep him waiting any longer.
The Jormungandr started with a leisurely pace, but its strides progressively quickened as it closed the gap with The Aegis.
In a flash, it reached Rick, initiating a rapid sequence of lance thrusts, each aimed at his shield. The blows echoed with metallic clanks as they struck the sturdy defense.
After few exchange , Tatsumi found it challenging to make a significant impact on The Aegis.
From what he had observed, his opponent was focused on defense and agility. While The Jormungandr powerful strikes were enough to momentarily disrupt his balance, they were mostly intercepted by Rick shield.
Tatsumi continued his assault with a relentless series of lance thrusts, each strike carefully aimed at Rick Aegis. Despite the defensive stance of his opponent, Tatsumi's attacks were relentless as he sought a breakthrough to break the defense.
Rick, on the other hand, maintained his calm demeanor, focused on defense. He observed Tatsumi's somewhat amateurish moves, and it began to bore him. Rick decided it was time to launch a counterattack.
While waiting for the right moment, The Aegis deflected Tatsumi lance and aimed for a finishing sword thrust, thinking ( I thought he was maybe a interesting toy , or maybe not ... let's end this dance ... )
As the sword thrust was approaching The Jormungandr, it suddenly took a step to the left, sacrificing his right arm. An alert sounded on his interface.
[ !! Right arm lost !! ]
[ !! Fuel leaked !! ]
[ !! Remaining fuel: 62% !! ]
But it was at this very moment that Tatsumi found his breakthrough. The Jormungandr began to lose its balance as all the long lance weight was shifted onto the left arm. This was exactly what Tatsumi wanted.
The world in front of him seemed to slow down. His opponent's sword was still in motion, impossible to use for the next action. The shield was also in a counter position, so it couldn't be used for defense either. The Aegis was off-balance, all the conditions were in place.
Tatsumi went full throttle on his crotch pedal and pulled the trigger with wild enthusiasm, launching an absolutely bonkers heavy sweep attack.
YES! He was doing the same move he'd pulled off earlier, but this time, it was cranked up to eleven because Tatsumi was mashing that acceleration pedal like he was juicing an orange!
"YES, MY VICTORY!!" Tatsumi exclaimed in triumph, already contemplating the prize he would ask from his opponent. Money? It was tempting, but he had a job, so he didn't really need it.
What he truly desired was the technology that allowed for the transformation feature , but why hadn't Tatsumi considered other, more advanced technologies? Well, where was the fun in everything coming too easily?
But things didn't go as Tatsumi had envisioned. Because he had pressed the crotch pedal and the accelerator too hard, the S.A.M.S had interpreted that his pilot intended to execute a slide instead.
And what happened next was pure madness. The Jormungandr, now in a slide, delivered a swift slide kick to The Aegis, causing it to lose balance.
As the Aegis lost its balance, it also lost control of its sword, which soared into the sky. Strangely, the sword's blade ended up pointing towards Aegis body.
Also when Tatsumi executed the powerful sweep attack, due to the length of the lance and the sliding motion, the lance also went airborne, spinning through the sky.
The Jormungandr having still its back booster activated , began a long slide, moving away from the Aegis.
Tatsumi couldn't see what was happening, but when he finally stopped from the slide, he was surprised to find the Aegis with its sword embedded in its left arm.
Rick, seated in The Aegis cockpit, found himself at a loss for words. He had seen right through Tatsumi's action, and it was certain that if he had taken the full force of the powerful sweep, it would have sealed his defeat.
However, due to Tatsumi's mistake, he was still in the game... With a chuckle, he admitted defeat, saying, "Ha Ha Ha, I surrender. You win!" through the speaker.
Tatsumi swiftly accepted his victory without a hint of shame and asked, "What about the promised reward?"
Tatsumi wasted no time and inquired about his reward. Rick, reflecting on the battle, considered Tatsumi's question and replied, "Well, what do you desire?" Knowing that he was wealthy and satisfied with the battle.
With a greedy smile, Tatsumi made his request. "I want the technology for the transformation features," he declared.
Rick replied genuinely, "You can actually find those transformation features licenses and technology on the MSC forum at a reasonable cost." He further questioned, "Besides, you're a pilot, not a designer. What would you even do with it?"
Tatsumi, undeterred by Rick's suggestion, replied with a sly grin, "Well, it's my business, isn't it? Anyway, how about we meet up near Hope City's Town Hall? I've got a feeling we might become great friends."
Rick, with a shrug and an amused smile, said, "Why not? Let's meet there, then. Maybe I'll have the chance to teach you a thing or two about S.A.M.S."